Above the rooftops of Jerusalem’s Old City chiming church bells, the chants of muezzins calling to the Moslem faithful, and the murmur of Jewish prayer all blend together. Following a tradition established in the Middle Ages, the Old City is divided into four quarters – Christian, Jewish, Moslem and Armenian. Each boasts its own sight and sounds, but all preserve the time-honored tradition of the market trade characteristic of the Levant. The shuk is filled with the pungent aromas of spices and the resonant cries of street vendors.
Jerusalem’s markets are a tapestry of varied colors. Goods from all over the world find their way into Old City’s narrow, winding alleys, on carts stills driven by human muscle power alone. But don’t stand in the way of one of these – their only braking system is an old rubber tire chained to the back that is jumped on by the “driver”.
This page is part of the book The Holy Land of Jesus
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